Age: 9-10 years

Duration: 60 min

Objectives

• Identify character traits for Wilbur and Charlotte using text evidence from an excerpt.
• Complete a trait chart linking quote, trait label, and student explanation.
• Discuss friendship themes in literature circles with listening tasks for the audience.

Vocab

• loyal / friendship / kindness: "Charlotte shows loyalty by helping Wilbur."
• character / trait: "A trait is a quality that describes a character."
• evidence / quote: "My evidence is: 'Charlotte said...'"

Warm-up (5min)

Show barn/farm image — predict story setting and characters. Quick trait brainstorm: "A good friend is ___ ." — collect 6 traits on board.

Main Activity (45min): "Charlotte's Web"

"Trait Detective Workshop" — Silent read Charlotte's Web excerpt (~400 words) — first meeting or friendship scene. Annotation pass: highlight 4 lines showing character actions or speech. Trait chart: columns Character / Trait / Quote / Because — complete for Wilbur and Charlotte (minimum 2 traits each). Literature circles of 4: each member shares one trait + evidence; listeners check "heard quote?" on chart. Writing: 5-sentence paragraph — topic sentence naming Charlotte's main trait, 2 evidence sentences, explanation, closing link to friendship theme. Peer highlight: partner underlines because/explanation sentences. Optional drama: freeze-frame two trait moments — narrator reads evidence. Collect charts — first Charlotte's Web portfolio artifact.

Wrap-up (5min)

One-line share: "Charlotte is ___ because the text says ___ ."

Teacher Tips

• First of four Charlotte's Web units — use same excerpt packet across units 03, 06, 10, 14 for continuity.
• Trait vs action: